With summer upon us, we always like to remind our clients how important it is to keep their children safe in the water. Unfortunately, the law firm has handled many drowning and near-drowning cases caused by inadequate supervision of swimmers or poor safety procedures and protocols. Here are some reminders on how to stay safe while in the water:
1. Ensure your child is swimming in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.
2. Always have your child swim with a buddy, but do not trust your child’s life to another child.
3. Never leave your child unattended near water.
4. Learn CPR. The American Red Cross offers CPR training in various locations and formats: https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/cpr.
5. If your child can’t swim well, have them wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets or flotation devices.
6. Instruct your child not to dive into shallow water. Follow safety signs posted at the pool or beach.
7. If you have a pool, ensure that it is secured with appropriate barriers.
8. Avoid any distractions when you are supervising children around water.
9. Remove toys from the pool when not in use. “Noodles” and other blow-up toys and rafts can be very tempting to other children who could lean over the edge and fall in.
10. Make sure that you have all the appropriate safety equipment nearby. Be prepared to call 9-1-1, if necessary.
